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1. Why Study Hebrews?
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I confess; I'm a coward. I've been preaching for nearly 40 years, and I've somehow avoided preaching on the Book of Hebrews. I'm not sure that it was always a conscious thing, but for whatever reasons, it has taken me all these years to get to this point.
I'm not alone in this. I know of other preachers who have also avoided Hebrews. Of course, there are many preachers who don't teach any book of the Bible in an expository way – chapter by chapter and book by book. And even those who have been so bold as to take on the monumental task of preaching through Hebrews have not necessarily proven to be an encouragement to me. I've read or listened to their teaching, and in the end, I'm just as perplexed as I was beforehand. I also know that some who have taught through Hebrews have not even convinced themselves and have changed their minds as to its interpretation.
Having said this, the elders and I have concluded that it is finally time for us to commence a study of Hebrews. In this lesson, I will seek to answer several questions:
Why should we study Hebrews?
How will I approach Hebrews?
Why do people avoid Hebrews?
We will spend the majority of our time on this third question, hoping to put some problem areas into perspective. Having done so, we will conclude by suggesting some areas of application.
Why Should We Study Hebrews?
There are a great number of reasons why I believe it is time for us to study the Book of Hebrews. Let me suggest a few of them.
1. I believe that a study of the Book of Hebrews may be the next step for us as a church as we seek to grow in our desire for greater intimacy with Christ, greater faith, and bolder acts of service.Last week, we were challenged to think of our Lord in much greater terms – greater in power, in majesty, in love and mercy and grace. We were exhorted to exercise much greater faith in what He can and will do in us, in our church, and in our community (in addition to what He is doing abroad). Today, one of our men stood in our prayer time and prayed that we would thirst for God as the deer pants for water (Psalm 42:1). I believe Hebrews is just the book God's Spirit may employ to move us in this direction.
2. More than any other New Testament book, Hebrews connects the dots between the Old Testament and the New. George H. Guthrie points out how the Book of Hebrews refers to the Old Testament:
"Of all the writings of the New Testament, none is more saturated with overt references to the Old Testament. The author so filled his discourse with Old Testament thoughts and passages that they permeate every chapter. Thirty-five quotations from a Greek translation of the Old Testament and thirty-four allusions work to support the development of Hebrews' argument. In addition, the writer offers nineteen summaries of Old Testament material, and thirteen times he mentions an Old Testament name or topic, often without reference to a specific context."2
In Colossians, the Apostle Paul writes,
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days – 17 these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ! (Colossians 2:16-17).3
It is the Book of Hebrews that takes up this theme and explains it in greater detail (see Hebrews 8:5; 10:1). The Old Testament foreshadowed the New, and Hebrews is the place to go if we wish to understand this as we should.
3. The Book of Hebrews helps us to understand the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers, and between Israel and the church. In Acts 15, the Judaisers prompted the "Jerusalem Council" by insisting that Gentile believers be baptized and keep the law. In other words, they insisted that Gentiles become Jewish proselytes. This issue was taken up in great detail in the Book of Galatians. In my opinion, the underlying issue in the Book of Romans is the relationship between Israel and the church (and thus the relationship of Jewish and Gentile believers in the church). I am tempted to think that this highly emotional and divisive issue was dealt with on two levels: The Epistle to the Romans was the "western" explanation; the Epistle to the Hebrews was the "eastern" resolution.4 And both come to the same conclusions.
4. Hebrews exalts the person and work of Jesus Christ, prompting us to draw near to Him. When you stop to think about it, the whole Bible is about Jesus, although this becomes more and more clear as we work our way into the New Testament. But among the epistles, no book places the spotlight more directly on Jesus than Hebrews. As the author himself puts it, "keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Thus, we are to draw near:
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water (Hebrews 10:19-22).
5.Hebrews provides us with the most extensive exposition on the high priestly ministry of our Lord Jesus.We read our Lord's "high priestly prayer" in John 17, and we find brief references to His high priestly ministry for us elsewhere in the New Testament. But it is the Book of Hebrews that contains the fullest exposition of our Lord's ministry as our Great High Priest. It is this ministry which we most need in times of difficulty and adversity.
6. Hebrews emphasizes the authority of the Word of God and urges us to heed its warnings and exhortations:
1 After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. 3 The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:1-3).
1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken through angels proved to be so firm that every violation or disobedience received its just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, 4 while God confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will (Hebrews 2:1-4).
11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account (Hebrews 4:11-13).
11 On this topic we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God's utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:11-14).
No New Testament epistle more strongly emphasizes the authority of Scripture and its importance in our daily lives.
7. Hebrews not only challenges us to live by faith; it provides us with many practical examples of how this is done.We think first of the eleventh chapter, where we see many examples of living by faith. But the instructions and exhortations of the rest of the book also thrust us in the direction of living out our faith.
8. Hebrews has many words of hope and encouragement, but it also has some very sobering words of warning for those who disregard God's Word and draw back from intimate fellowship with our Lord. Let's face it, the warnings are so sobering many choose to keep this epistle a closed book. But when the writer warns us, he also encourages us as well:
4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6 and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt. 7 For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; its fate is to be burned. 9 But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. 11 But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:4-12, emphasis mine).
9. Hebrews will not hear of us living lives of complacency, lives which neglect God's Word, intimacy with Christ, and fellowship of His people. Hebrews urges us to press on to maturity and warns us of the danger of complacency.
Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11).
11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees (Hebrews 12:11-12).
10. Hebrews holds us accountable, not only for our own Christian walk, but also for what happens to our struggling or straying brethren.
23 And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:23-25).
11. Hebrews challenges us to press on to deeper spiritual understanding and Christian maturity (Hebrews 5:11-13).
12. Hebrews summons us to endurance and perseverance, especially as days of greater persecution come upon us.
32 But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened. 33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way. 34 For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly had a better and lasting possession. 35 So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward. 36 For you need endurance in order to do God's will and so receive what is promised (Hebrews 10:32-36).
3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin (Hebrews 12:3-4).
13.Hebrews instructs us as to how we should "abide in Christ."John 15 was the central text in our time at the Lord's Table this Sunday morning. How important it is to abide in Christ. It occurred to me that while this term (meno, "to abide") is not found in Hebrews, it is really what Hebrews is all about. Hebrews exalts the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and of His Word and exhorts us to abide in Him. What is more important than this? And if this is what Hebrews is all about – and I assure you that it is – then we had better become students of this book.
How Will We Approach This Series?
My goal is to help us all understand the message of Hebrews as a book. The book has several sections, so we will begin at the first section and work through the entire book. I will begin each section with an overview of the entire section, and then we'll work our way through the smaller segments of that section. We will move at a fast enough pace so that the message of the whole book will not be lost in the details.
Let me give you an example of how this will work in the next few lessons. The first major section is Hebrews 1:1—2:18. In the next lesson, I will deal with the message of this entire section. This will be followed (in the next two or three weeks) with a study of these segments:
Hebrews 1:1-3
Hebrews 1:4—2:4
Hebrews 2:5-185
In this series, I will be inviting even greater participation on the part of the congregation. I have asked those in the Friday morning study group to each focus on a particular dimension, or a particular commentary. Because there are many different ways of interpreting some passages, I will attempt to give these points of view a hearing, and then I will seek to represent these positions fairly, especially if I disagree with them. I am also inviting you in the audience to send me e-mails when you have found helpful information, have gained a certain insight, or have some matter about which you disagree or which needs further investigation. I hope that this will make the teaching of this series more interactive.
Why Don't We Study Hebrews?
Put more bluntly, why is it that so many Christians seek to avoid studying Hebrews? This gets to the heart of my purpose in this introductory lesson. I believe that we need to recognize why we shy away from Hebrews, and then get some perspective on these issues. So let's get to it. Why do people (including me) tend to avoid Hebrews?
1.We're cowards, especially me. As a preacher, I don't want to get in over my head. I remember a time years ago when a preacher I know started a chapter-by-chapter study of the Book of Job. He quit, right in the middle of the series. In fact, he may have quit before he got to the middle of the book. It was tough sledding, and I can fully understand why he gave up. Others may doggedly press on, causing the audience to wish the preacher would quit.
2.One of the reasons preachers don't want to tackle teaching through Hebrews is that congregations are not eager for them to do so.Hebrews is the Leviticus of the New Testament. I know that this is true with regard to its content, but I am speaking in terms of its popularity. If Leviticus is one of the least-read books of the Old Testament, Hebrews is one of the least-studied books in the New.
Few preachers aspire to teach something that others don't wish to hear (though this is our task). I certainly don't want to start something that I'm afraid I might not finish. And so it is that you and I must commence this study by faith, rather than by sight. We must trust that because this is God's Word (and that is surely something the author wants us to grasp – see Hebrews 1:1—2:4), God will grant us insight into this book, and He will make this study one that is profitable.
3. Hebrews may appear to be irrelevant to those of us who are Gentiles because the book has such a strong Jewish orientation.Let us remember that "salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22). Gentile believers are "sons of Abraham" by faith (Romans 4; see Galatians 6:16). Gentile believers have been "grafted in" to Israel's blessings (Romans 11:11-24). It was Israel's unbelief that (in the sovereign purposes of God) was the means by which this grafting has taken place (Romans 11:25-33). It is Gentile belief that will provoke unbelieving Jews to jealousy, leading to salvation (Romans 11:11-16). All of this is to say that one cannot compartmentalize the Old Testament, isolating it from the New. Nor can one completely separate God's dealings with His people, the Jews, from His dealings with those of us who are Gentiles.
There is another reason why Gentiles must grasp the relationship of the Old Covenant to the New. Much of the error being disseminated among Gentile churches had a distinctly Jewish flavor. The Judaisers were seeking to put the Gentiles under the Old Testament law (see Acts 15 and the whole Book of Galatians). Those who were causing trouble in the churches were Jewish (or so they represented themselves):
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I (2 Corinthians 11:22).
6 Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or the things they insist on so confidently (1 Timothy 1:6-7).
10 For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections, 11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught. 12 A certain one of them, in fact, one of their own prophets, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." 13 Such testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply that they may be healthy in the faith 14 and not pay attention to Jewish myths and commands of people who reject the truth (Titus 1:10-14).
"'I know the distress you are suffering and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know the slander against you by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue of Satan'" (Revelation 2:9; see also 3:9).
It was necessary to understand the Old Testament and its relation to the New in order to understand the gospel of grace, and thus to avoid the false teaching of those Jews who were seeking to mislead Gentile believers.
One more thing needs to be said about those who would consider that these "Jewish matters" were of no interest or concern to Gentile believers:
No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Our problems as Gentiles are not unique, nor are the problems faced by the Jews. That is why, in the verses leading up to verse 13,6 Paul used the failings of the Jews during their wilderness wanderings to instruct the predominantly Gentile church at Corinth (and beyond) about those fleshly temptations that are so deadly.
4.The main reason why we avoid Hebrews is that it is a difficult book to interpret and to apply.In short, we find it difficult to understand, and so we put it aside for something that is simple. If we find Hebrews hard to understand, we are certainly not alone:
"William Barclay once wrote, 'When we come to read the Letter to the Hebrews we come to read what is, for the person of today, the most difficult book in the whole New Testament.'"7 (Guthrie, pp. 13-14)
"The young Charles Haddon Spurgeon found it difficult to understand. With typical humour he recalled his teenage feelings about the letter: 'I have a very lively, or rather deadly, recollection of a certain series of discourses on the Hebrews, which made a deep impression on my mind of the most undesirable kind. I wished frequently that the Hebrews had kept the Epistle to themselves, for it sadly bored a poor Gentile lad.'"8
Let me be more specific about some of the ways people find Hebrews more perplexing than other books of the Bible.
Hebrews was one of the New Testament books which was recognized as being a part of the canon of Scripture later than others. It was not until late in the fourth century that Hebrews was officially accepted as part of the New Testament, and this was perhaps largely due to the fact that Pauline authorship was assumed at this point in time.10
The author of Hebrews is not indicated in the epistle, and there is considerable debate as to who it might be. I find it interesting – and perhaps even troubling – that so much effort has been expended to determine the author of Hebrews when it seems apparent that God did not want us to know. Paul Ellingworth, in his commentary,11 deals with 13 proposed authors to the book. When I read all the pages in the commentaries devoted to this question of authorship, the words of Deuteronomy 29:29 come to mind:
Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those that are revealed belong to us and our descendants forever, so that we might obey all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29).
God is telling us here that He has revealed what we need to know, and that what He has concealed we should leave alone. Why then are we working so hard to identify the author?
I think I would go one step further. Why do we not consider it instructive that the name of the author is deliberately concealed? Several have noted that not only is the author's name concealed, but that when the author cites Old Testament Scriptures – which he often does – he does not name the human author there, either.12 I used to think that the author of Hebrews simply had a bad memory, but I now am convinced that he purposed not to name the human authors, and I think that the author of Hebrews tells us why at the very outset of the epistle:
1 After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. 3 The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:1-3).
The author wants us to look at Scripture as having come from God. The words of Scripture are God's revelation to us, a revelation to which we would do well to heed (Hebrews 2:1-4). No wonder human authorship is not emphasized in Hebrews (though it is certainly not denied). And so we find the absence of the author's name to be instructive and completely consistent with the message of the book.
The Recipients of this Epistle
The recipients of this epistle are not identified, nor is the city in which they live. Neither is the city from which this epistle originated revealed to us. This does not mean that we know nothing about them or their circumstances. Here is some of what we do know:
The recipients were either Jewish, or they were Gentiles who were very familiar with Jewish practices and beliefs: they knew their Old Testament.13 The author assumes this, and thus he often cites Old Testament texts, or he refers to Old Testament personalities or institutions.
The author assumes that his readers (perhaps with a few exceptions) were believers (see Hebrews 3:1).
The recipients had been believers for some time. They had already endured some persecution for their faith (see Hebrews 5:12; 10:32-34).
These Hebrew saints had not yet suffered unto death for their faith, though the inference is that they will see more intense persecution in the not-too-distant future (Hebrews 12:1-13).
Those whose lives were characterized by spiritual neglect were considered especially vulnerable to failure if and when hard times fell upon the church.
In spite of being believers for some time, they were still immature in their knowledge of the Scriptures (Hebrews 5:11-14).
Some of them were negligent with regard to the Scriptures and also in their gathering with other believers. They had also drifted away from an intimate walk with the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 2:1-4; 10:19-25).
Thus, they were in danger of more blatant disobedience and rebellion – of falling away (Hebrews 3:12-17; 4:11; 10:26-31; 12:15-17, 25).
The Date of the Writing of Hebrews
We are not given clear indication as to when this epistle was written, though most conservative scholars tend to believe it was in the second half of the first century. Was the temple still standing and functional? If so, then the epistle would seem to have been written before 70 A. D.14
The "Warning Texts" of Hebrews
Many Christians are troubled by the "warning texts" of Hebrews, such as those found in Hebrews 6:4-8 and 10:26-31.Is Hebrews teaching that a Christian can lose his or her salvation, contrary to the clear teaching of other biblical texts? If not, what do these texts mean? I would simply point out to you what Don Curtis indicated to me: these warning texts are followed by words of assurance, rather than doubt.15 We must not avoid certain texts just because they are difficult to understand or because they appear to contradict other texts. We must be all the more diligent to study these texts and to find a biblical resolution to any apparent contradictions.
The Way Old Testament Texts are Used in Hebrews
Another reason why people find Hebrews a hard book to study is the way in which the author uses the Old Testament Scriptures in his epistle. We in the West, and those who have been trained to interpret Old Testament citations in a very narrow way, need to recognize that the New Testament authors used Old Testament texts in a variety of ways. I would strongly urge you to look at Don Curtis' work on this subject.16
Conflict over the Interpretation of Hebrews
Some people do not enjoy Hebrews because there seems to be so much disagreement among the scholars regarding the interpretation of this epistle. "If the scholars can't agree on what it means, how am I to know?" And sometimes the disagreements can get heated. For this reason, some chose to avoid Hebrews altogether.
It is Hard to Trace the Argument of Hebrews
I must confess that this is the main reason why I've tended to avoid preaching Hebrews for a number of years. Not only have I failed to trace the argument of the book, but others whom I trust and respect have not produced convincing17 arguments either.
So how do we come to terms with the fact that there seems to be no general agreement concerning the argument of the Book of Hebrews? I greatly appreciate George H. Guthrie's commentary18 on this point. First, Guthrie reminds us that this epistle is more in the form of a sermon, perhaps like that which would have been preached in a synagogue:
"Although the author chooses to address the pressing problem facing this community in the form of a sermon, the development and structure of this sermon's argument have baffled commentators through the centuries. A quick look at the introductions to several commentaries demonstrates the lack of consensus on this matter among those who have attempted to outline the book."19
Second, Guthrie proposes that Hebrews intertwines exposition and exhortation:
"However this [superiority] approach fails to take seriously the two distinct types of literature found in Hebrews, namely, exposition, in which the author expounds the person and work of Christ, and exhortation, in which he seeks to motivate the congregation to a positive response. Hebrews does not develop in a neat outline from point A to point Z. Rather, the author switches back and forth between exposition and exhortation. Although the two work together powerfully, weaving a tapestry of concepts toward the accomplishment of his purpose, they contribute to that purpose in different manners."20
We've gotten used to books like Romans and Ephesians, where the author (Paul) first establishes his doctrinal foundation (exposition), and then moves on to application (exhortation). Thus, Romans establishes doctrine in chapters 1-11, and then applies it in chapters 12-16. In Ephesians, the exposition is found in chapters 1-3, and the exhortation comes in chapters 4-6. This is not so with Hebrews. Exhortation is interspersed with exposition.
But there is yet further reason why we find the argument of Hebrews difficult to trace. The author is distant from us in time and in culture. Because of this, we must work harder to interpret and apply this great epistle. I love the way Guthrie illustrates the need for greater effort on our part.21
Guthrie uses two excellent illustrations to demonstrate the need for increased effort on our part when we approach our study of Hebrews. First, he uses the analogy of friendship. He drove to seminary with a college friend (both of them were apparently from Tennessee). From their common background, they both understood that "barbeque" was shredded pork, "Paris" was a town in Western Tennessee, and "to carry someone to church" meant that you would give them a ride to church in your car.
When Guthrie arrived at seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, he discovered that Texans saw things a little bit differently. "Barbeque" was not shredded pork, but beef brisket, "Paris" was a town in northeast Texas, and a "tank" was a small body of water which you used to water your cattle, or perhaps to fish or swim in.
But Guthrie also met and befriended a number of international students. One in particular was from Korea. For this friend, "barbeque" was a strange substance called pulgoki, and other food included things like fermented cabbage. Cultural and language differences required a great deal more effort for meaningful communication to take place. The greater the cultural and linguistic distance, the greater the effort required.
Guthrie used a second analogy of three bridges. The first is near his home. It crosses a thirty-some-foot expanse over the Forked Deer River (or creek – crick as we would say it where I grew up). It took a certain amount of resources and effort to build. Some fifty miles away, there is another river and another bridge. The river is the Mississippi, and the bridge is a mile long. It took a lot more resources and a great deal more effort to build – because the gap to span was greater. Then he mentioned a third bridge, which crosses the Atchafalaya Swamp. This bridge is seventeen miles long, and it had to be built over a swamp teaming with snakes and alligators. The greater the gap, the greater the effort required. Needless to say, the Book of Hebrews is the "Atchafalaya Swamp" of the New Testament. If we wish to bridge the gap from here and now to then and there, we will have to work at it.
Another thing that makes it hard to trace the argument of Hebrews is that this epistle is really a lengthy sermon. This was a sermon that would likely have been preached in a synagogue. The author speaks of the epistle as a "message of exhortation":
Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, bear with my message of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you briefly (Hebrews 13:22, emphasis mine).
The kind of message one would preach in the synagogue would also be called an "exhortation."
14 Moving on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the law and the prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, "Brothers, if you have any message of exhortation for the people, speak it" (Acts 13:14-15, emphasis mine).
We thus must approach Hebrews as a sermon.
I have attempted to demonstrate that our excuses for avoiding Hebrews are invalid and that it is time for us to devote ourselves to a serious study of this epistle. As I conclude this lesson, let me do a little exhorting.
Granting that this book is difficult, I (echoing George Guthrie and others) have urged that we commit ourselves to the labor it will take, confident that it will be worth our while. But let's not assume that this book was ever easy for anyone to grasp. If we suppose that this book was not difficult for its original readers, we are wrong. Granted, the content and style of this epistle were not nearly as foreign to the original readers as they are to us, but it was not an easy message for them to grasp either. The writer makes this abundantly clear to us:
11 On this topic we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God's utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:11-14, emphasis mine).
When I allow the Book of Hebrews to shape my thinking about the difficulties with this book, I come to the somewhat shocking realization that the problem is not with Hebrews; it is with me (May I be so bold as to say that the problem is with us?) The situation, whether we like it or not, is that we have not chosen to move from milk to meat. We (along with the first recipients of Hebrews) are much like the Corinthians:
1 So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, 3 for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
The writer to the Hebrews recognizes this same immaturity. But he refuses to "dumb down" his writing. He turns to "meat" and writes of things that are difficult to grasp. He seizes his readers by the hand, so to speak, and pulls them along into much deeper truth:
11 On this topic we have much to say and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God's utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil. 1 Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, 2 teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this is what we intend to do, if God permits (Hebrews 5:11—6:3).
Hebrews is what all of us should be studying. In his brief introduction to Guthrie's commentary on Hebrews, Terry Muck22 made some very challenging comments. Greatly paraphrased, Muck observed that Christians today are very much like the first readers of Hebrews. We are lazy in our Bible study, somewhat cold and indifferent in our walk with Christ, and less than faithful in our church attendance. The approach today has been somewhat sociological. We conduct polls and surveys, seeking to learn what will attract people to a personal faith and to church. Then we change (aka "dumb down") our message and our methods so that we appeal to slothful saints.
The writer to the Hebrews does just the opposite. He elevates and exalts Christ to His rightful place. Then he exposes our weaknesses and spiritual immaturity. Rather than cater to our weakness, the author lovingly rebukes us, letting us know that much more is expected of us. And then he presses on to deal with material that is, at the moment, way over our heads. He challenges us to acknowledge our spiritual lethargy and presses us to sink our teeth into some real meat. That meat is the Book of Hebrews, and it is about time that all of us took a large bite.
We, like the Corinthians and the recipients of Hebrews, are spiritually weak. Many of us have been saved for some time. We may once have been zealous about our faith, but many have become cool (luke warm?), resting on our laurels. As such, we have become too occupied with our self-indulgent impulses and are thus ripe for trouble when real trouble comes our way. Hebrews is not just for those first readers, my friends; it is for us. We desperately need to study it and to take the corrective action that is prescribed. In essence, we need to see Christ exalted in His power, love, and grace. We need to heed His Word and to draw near to Him in intimate fellowship. As we do, we will also draw nearer to our fellow saints, and we will re-discover that "first love" which we experienced at the time of our conversion.
So let's take the challenge of the Book of Hebrews, for it is God speaking to us, and not just a man. Let's step up to the plate and partake of the feast which God has placed before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
1 Copyright © 2008 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the series, Near to the Heart of God – A Study of the Book of Hebrews, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on July 13, 2008. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit.
2 George H. Guthrie, Hebrews – The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998), p. 19.
3 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. The NEW ENGLISH TRANSLATION, also known as THE NET BIBLE, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a revision or an update of a previous English version. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. It is available on the Internet at: www.netbible.org.
4 This would be particularly interesting if both Romans and Hebrews were addressed to believers in Rome, something we will not know for certain this side of heaven.
5 This section may require two lessons.
6 1 Corinthians 10:1-12.
7 George H. Guthrie, Hebrews – The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998), pp. 13-14.
8 C. H. Spurgeon, The Early Years (Banner of Truth, 1962), p. 48, as cited by Raymond Brown, Christ Above All: The Message of Hebrews (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1982), pp. 20-21.
9 Meaning, "Is Hebrews a part of the inspired Scriptures?"
10 See F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, revised edition (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990), pp. 17, 22-25.
11 Paul Ellingworth, The Epistle to the Hebrews (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), pp. 3-21.
12 One rare exception would be found in Hebrews 4:7.
13 Most likely there was a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers.
14 "Although dating most of the New Testament literature is a difficult endeavor, with any propositions considered tentative, the situation indicated by the data above suggests Hebrews was written in the mid-60s A.D., just prior to the extreme persecution of the Roman church under Nero." Guthrie, p. 22.
15 See Hebrews 6:9-12 and 10:32-39.
17 Convincing to me, that is.
18 George H. Guthrie, Hebrews – The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998). See especially pp. 27-38.
19 Guthrie, p. 37.
20 Guthrie, pp. 27-28.
21 Guthrie, pp. 31-35.
22 Guthrie, pp. 11-12.
Related Topics: Introductions, Arguments, Outlines


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Legendary New York rock band Masters of Reality are gearing up to reissue their 1988 self-titled debut along with the 1997 live album, How High The Moon: Live at The Viper Room, on vinyl and CD.
To celebrate the re-release of these albums, we've teamed up with the band to bring you a never-before-scene clip of Masters of Reality performing the Zeppelinesque stomp of "John Brown" live in the studio from 1991. On drums is Ginger Baker of Cream, who appeared on the band's 1992 album, Sunrise on the Sufferbus.
Formed in the early '80s by frontman Chris Goss, Masters of Reality have gone on to quietly become one of the most influential rock bands in recent memory. An undeniable inspiration to the Palm Desert Scene, Goss has produced a number of notable bands, including Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age. Their 2001 album, Deep in the Hole, featured guest work by QOTSA frontman Josh Homme, along with appearances from bandmates Nick Oliveri and Troy Dean Van Leeuwen.
Masters of Reality and How High The Moon: Live at The Viper Room will be available December 11. You can pre-order the albums on CD here and on vinyl here.
Keep up with all things Masters of Reality at their official Facebook page.

subset: commoncrawl


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Saudi effort to punish Canada seems to have little effect
10/08/2018 09:16
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The worst potential impact on Canada would be if Saudi Arabia canceled Canada's largest arms deal, a $15 billion deal with Saudi Arabia in 2014 to export its light-armored vehicles to the kingdom.
Trudeau, a staunch defender of woman's rights, is not backing down and has received only limited criticism from domestic opponents. (Source: AP)
When Saudi Arabia ordered its citizens studying in Canada to abruptly leave the country it left institutions like Techno Canada in the lurch, forcing the small Toronto business school to scramble for new students in the middle of the summer. But that doesn't mean the school's director wants his government to abandon its advocacy of civil rights in Saudi Arabia, which prompted the worst diplomatic rift in history between the two countries.
"I am very much with my government to stand up for human rights," the head of Techno Canada, Basu Mukherjee, said as he conceded the loss of Saudi students will hurt his bottom line. "It is going to be hard, but we will try our best to replace them."
Similar sentiments have been expressed in recent days across Canada as schools, hospitals and even some businesses largely shrug at Saudi Arabia's decision to punish the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over tweets supporting two jailed dissident bloggers.
In a sign that the Saudis may not have as much leverage over Canada as they thought, many in the country say they are less concerned about the effects on Canada of the diplomatic spat than they are concerned for the well-being of the 15,000 students who were told they cannot resume studies for the fall semester and 800 doctors and medical residents who must leave by Sept. 1.
"It's very difficult for people who have families and leases," said Dr. Salvatore Spadafora who oversees 216 of Saudi doctors and medical residents in the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network. "They are all working very, very hard and trying to study and then this happens."
The Saudi government expelled Canada's ambassador to the kingdom and withdrew its own ambassador on Sunday, days after two Canadian tweets in support of arrested activist Samar Badawi, whose writer brother Raif Badawi was arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and later sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for insulting Islam. Then it halted flights by its national airline and ordered the students home, a decision that affects institutions as small as Techno Canada, which has just 40 people enrolled, to major institutions such as the University of Toronto.
But even though the Saudis are a significant presence in Canadian hospitals and in higher-education, contributing about $1 billion to $1.5 billion Canadian dollars (US$770 million to US$1.1 billion) to the Canadian economy last year, the overall effect is minimal since other foreign students can easily replace them.
Spadafora said other medical students will pick up the shifts of the Saudi residents and physicians when they go home by Sept. 1. Brian Hodges, who oversees about 94 from Saudi Arabia including 58 or 59 trained specialists or fellows at Toronto's University Health Network, said patient care won't be affected. "The first priority really is figure how to support them," he said. "Many have been with us for five or four years and are close to doing exams."
Trudeau, a staunch defender of woman's rights, is not backing down and has received only limited criticism from domestic opponents. "Canadians have always expected our government to speak strongly, firmly, clearly and politely about the need to respect human rights at home and around the world," he said.
Financial markets did not appear hurt by the dispute amid reports that the Saudis intended to unload Canadian assets. There were rumors that Kingdom Holding Co. intended to sell its 47.5 percent stake in the Toronto-based luxury hotel chain Four Seasons. A company spokeswoman, Sarah Tuite, would only say that "day to day operations" have not changed. "It is business as usual," she said.
Bilateral trade between the two nations is just $3 billion a year. Canada does get 10 percent of its imported crude oil from Saudi Arabia, but even if the dispute escalates further Saudi oil could potentially be replaced with U.S. shale oil or oil from Canada's oil sands region, the third largest oil reserves in the world.
Saudi Arabia's energy minister said oil sales to Canada will not be affected. The worst potential impact on Canada would be if Saudi Arabia canceled Canada's largest arms deal, a $15 billion deal with Saudi Arabia in 2014 to export its light-armored vehicles to the kingdom. Jim Reid, a union leader who represents 500 workers at the General Dynamics facility in London, said that could lead to job losses.
The Canadian foreign ministry says they have heard nothing about the contract. "The Saudi's are shooting themselves in the foot," Reid said. "Yes, it's going to cause some economic hardship for some universities and colleges and hospitals but this is disrupting their own citizens' lives whether they are doctors in hospitals or students. It boggles the mind."
Robert Bothwell, a professor at the University of Toronto, said anything Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman does to harm Canada will also harm a range of Saudi interests including their investments and students. "The Saudi monarchy is playing around with thousands of Saudi subjects, slaves. Their interests are not being regarded. They are just pawns and that's very much to be regretted," Bothwell said.
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After 15 years, probe into Queens slaying of Run-DMC star goes cold
By TOM HAYS
Associated Press
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - A mural of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay, his arms crossed in defiance, looms over the hallway of the Queens recording studio where he was shot to death 15 years ago. The memorial gives no hint of a disturbing footnote to the DJ's tale of fame and misfortune: The killer, so far, has gotten away with it.
New York City police detectives acknowledge that their investigation into the October 30, 2002, killing of the artist, whose given name was Jason Mizell, has gone cold. But some in the borough where Jam Master Jay, Joe "Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels emerged as rap sensations in the 1980s hold out hope that witnesses could still come forward.
"It's not resolved to the legal eye, but the street always talks," said Jeremy "JL" Lam, a friend of Jam Master Jay's family and a partner in the latest version of the Queens studio.
Family members, however, are less optimistic.
"We know it's any anniversary but we don't like to talk about it much anymore," Jam Master Jay's older sister, Bonita Jones, said from their mother's home in North Carolina.
A cousin, Ryan Thompson, believes the potential witnesses may never come forward because they "could go to jail as accomplices."
Thompson, also a DJ using the moniker "Base," credits himself with introducing Run-DMC to one of its signature fashion statements: Adidas sneakers without laces. But Mizell should be remembered more "for the music he created and his kindness."
That music included spinning the turntable on such Run-DMC hits as "King of Rock," ''It's Tricky" and a remake of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." And one of Jam Master Jay's acts of kindnesses included opening a 24/7 studio in a then-violent section of Queens for artists who needed a start. Famed rapper 50 Cent was among those he mentored there.
It was in that studio on the night before Halloween 2002 when police say two armed men were buzzed inside. Thompson, once hired as security "to keep the riff-raff out," said he had left the job because he wasn't getting paid.
According to some reports, the 37-year-old Jam Master Jay hugged one of the men before gunfire erupted. One round missed him but a second, fired from point-blank range, entered the left side of his head. The men vanished.
Speculation followed that Jam Master Jay, who was drowning in debt, may have been killed on orders from someone to whom he owed money.
Police said there were at least four other people in the studio at the time. But none provided enough details to produce fruitful leads. Thompson said a security camera in the studio was broken.
Prosecutors later identified a career criminal serving time for armed robbery a suspect. But he denied involvement and was never charged. Then the case went cold.
Following the killing, a news photo showed Jam Master Jay's body being removed from the back of the building through an emergency exit while mourners flocked to the scene to pay tribute. Two more showed DMC hugging Public Enemy's Chuck D during the impromptu wake and a handwritten poster reading, "Rest in Peace, We'll Fight 4 Justice."
Fifteen years later, reminders of the tragedy are harder to find. There's the recording studio mural and, inside, a plaque on a closet door with his "JMJ" record label insignia.
"He's right there, so there's no getting away from it," performer Jaquan "Tipsy" Hardaway, said of the mural as he walked into the studio last week.
A founder of the current Signature Soundz Studios, Alix Dontfraid, agreed that it still feels a "little spooky" there. But he also tries to stay positive.
Jam Master Jay "could have built this studio anywhere, but he built it here, where it was needed," he said. "That's an energy I'm trying to perpetuate."
(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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UCF scores in final minute to ruin Louisville's bid for perfect season
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Blake Bortles and Central Florida had one last rally left, and it was enough to topple Teddy Bridgewater and No. 8 Louisville.
Bortles threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Godfrey with 23 seconds remaining, and the Knights stunned the Cardinals with a 38-35 victory Friday night, ending Louisville's perfect start.
"I said, 'Let's get some 2-minute calls ready,'" Bortles said. "We knew we were going to have to go 2-minute. ... Our offensive line did a great job, and our receivers did a great job of getting yards after the catch."
Down 28-7 midway through the third quarter, the Knights (5-1, 2-0 American Athletic Conference) responded with three touchdowns in a 7:22 span. Storm Johnson had a 1-yard TD run and a 20-yard reception for another score, and William Stanback ran 12 yards for the tying TD.
UCF then went in front on Shawn Moffitt's 34-yard field goal with 7:36 remaining.
Louisville (6-1, 2-1) reclaimed the lead on Dominique Brown's 15-yard run with three minutes to go, but the Knights drove 75 yards in 11 plays to take the lead for good on Bortles' TD and then held off the Cardinals' comeback attempt.
Bridgewater made one last desperate heave into the end zone as time expired, but the Heisman Trophy contender was unable to find anyone. The Knights then rushed the field in jubilation as a small gathering of fans in one section chanted, "UCF, UCF!"
"What can you say? It was a heck of a game," Knights coach George O'Leary said. "Both teams played their hearts out. That was a great drive, and it was a great win in a tough environment.
"Obviously, it's a big win. It's a big win because of the conference. We had great effort and great execution. ... We could have hung our heads, but we got after it."
Bortles finished 21-of-32 passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns while Johnson rushed for 109 yards and a TD on 18 carries, leading a spirited comeback during which the Knights outgained the Cardinals 269-210 in the second half to finish with a 446-445 edge.
It was Central Florida's second win over a ranked team in 27 attempts. It came in the lone conference meeting between the schools; the Cardinals are headed to the Atlantic Coast Conference next season.
"It felt good seeing that clock hit zero," Godfrey said in an elated Knights locker room. "It was a great feeling inside, a great win for the program and UCF Nation."
Struggling against a defense that entered the night allowing a nation-best 7.3 points per game and ranked No. 2 against the run, UCF eventually found room to run when Johnson started to cut and bounce his way to extra yardage.
Bortles chipped in with crisp passing, especially on the 20-yard pass to Johnson following a fumble recovery on the Cardinals' 15.
The combination of Johnson and Bortles ruined Louisville's homecoming and its 100th game at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium before a crowd of 55,215.
"You can't live in misery or live in a loss," Bridgewater said after the Cardinals' first loss since last November to Connecticut. "We are the type of team that has mature guys, and I am pretty sure our guys are switching their focus to South Florida. One loss doesn't determine the whole season."
Bridgewater finished 29-of-38 passing for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He welcomed back top receiver DeVante Parker from a shoulder injury, connecting for a 29-yard pass on Louisville's opening drive.
Bridgewater also went to former high school teammate Eli Rogers, who finished with 10 receptions for 95 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown that gave Louisville a 7-0 lead.
Ryan Hubbell's fumble that hit the pylon for a touchback and a punt on the next drive prevented the Cardinals from expanding the lead, and UCF scored on its fifth possession.
Johnson's 23-yard reception helped prolong the 71-yard drive, but Stanback's recovery of Rannell Hall's fumble at the 4 turned out to be the key play. Stanback scored on the next play.
Louisville responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive ending with Bridgewater's 10-yard TD pass to Parker in double coverage just before halftime. The Cardinals then emerged from the locker room to drive 75 yards for a 21-7 lead on Brown's 20-yard touchdown run up the middle.
Louisville seemed to be in control after James Quick's 30-yard return of punter Caleb Houston's fumbled snap made it 28-7, but UCF wasn't fazed.
"We tell our kids to never, never give up," O'Leary said. "Our kids were jumping to the music. I knew we were going to be OK.
"We had a couple of good things happen, and it lit a fire."
Game Information
2023 Big 12 Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
Texas | 8-1 | 12-2 |
Oklahoma State | 7-2 | 10-4 |
Oklahoma | 7-2 | 10-3 |
Iowa State | 6-3 | 7-6 |
Kansas State | 6-3 | 9-4 |
West Virginia | 6-3 | 9-4 |
Texas Tech | 5-4 | 7-6 |
Kansas | 5-4 | 9-4 |
Houston | 2-7 | 4-8 |
Baylor | 2-7 | 3-9 |
Cincinnati | 1-8 | 3-9 |
2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
Florida State | 8-0 | 13-1 |
Louisville | 7-1 | 10-4 |
NC State | 6-2 | 9-4 |
Georgia Tech | 5-3 | 7-6 |
Virginia Tech | 5-3 | 7-6 |
Clemson | 4-4 | 9-4 |
North Carolina | 4-4 | 8-5 |
Duke | 4-4 | 8-5 |
Miami | 3-5 | 7-6 |
Boston College | 3-5 | 7-6 |
Syracuse | 2-6 | 6-7 |
Pittsburgh | 2-6 | 3-9 |
Virginia | 2-6 | 3-9 |
Wake Forest | 1-7 | 4-8 |


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I've stumbled (jobwise) over a system where small messages (512 Bytes or less) are encrypted and decrypted using a simple XOR using a OTP. That OTP is created using a seed based on the individual user passwords and a simple PRNG.
I'm currently seeing the following problem: Alice always keeps her password absolutely secret and it is never shared or transmitted. But the crypto-message may be intercepted by Eve, who may be smart enough to detect the pattern used to XOR the message (as the PRNG functionality is widely used as simple C-lib rand()
functionality and therefore publicly available).
The reason why "they" used the OPT approach is to ensure "speedy encryption" (before transmission via SSL, secured storage, etc.).
My counter-argument is that it may be speedy, but because the seed is generated using a simple byte-addition (which results in a seed between 0 and 255), Eve has pretty good chances to quickly find the used seed and thereby the PRNG offset... which will allow her to decrypt the complete crypto-message(s) within 256 trail-and-error approaches.
Personally, I am about to advise them to use an acknowledged crypto-scheme (like AES) and make them drop their weak and insecure OTP-based crypto thing.
For as long as I can remember, I have been reading and have been told that an OTP may be regarded to be theoretically secure — but for that, the OTPs must be absolutely and truly random. From my point of view, a PRNG (cryptographically secure or not) does not seem to be a secure way to generate an OTP for crypto-purposes (using simple XOR).
But this got me thinking — maybe I am missing something in the big sea of crypto-schemes, functions, and implementations.
To avoid I'm missing something, I would embrace any feedback on the question:
Do any (non-hardware) RNGs exist which could be used (or securely abused) to create an OTP for crypto purposes?


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Companies with social marketing plans are placing increased emphasis on the importance of brand advocates. Yet these brands must choose and manage their advocates carefully, ensuring that they fit into an overall strategy. To do this successfully, brands must first understand their target customer and define their overarching objectives, asserts Rebecca Wettemann, VP of research at Nucleus Research.
"Is your goal to advocate, to send people to your website for business, to improve recognition of the brand?" Wettemann asks. "Understanding the overall business goal is the right place to start." For safety razor manufacturer Schick, those objectives were to bolster its presence among female college-bound students.
For its Back-to-School Savings campaign, Schick Quattro for Women Disposables asked Bows & Sequin's fashion blog founder and recent graduate Jessica Sturdy to share select dorm, fashion, and bathroom items with her blog readers and Schick's Facebook followers. Sturdy was someone the brand's target demographic could relate to, according to Joanna Di Domenico, brand manager of Quattro for Women Disposables.
"Over the years with the growth of social media, aligning with the proper brand influencer can make or break a program," Di Domenico says. "Brand influencers today have such incredible outreach and can really help to grow a brand or campaign and get news out to the masses."
But brand influencers are not for the commitment- phobic, Wettemann notes.
"The challenge is that you have to stay on top of them," Wettemann says. "This is on an ongoing basis, cultivating the relationship, and lack of follow-up is likely to bite you."
To avoid spreading brand influencers too thin, engage multiple influencers, advises James Gardner, VP of marketing at photo-organizing app Woven. Gardner says Woven hired two mommy bloggers—Audrey McClelland for her social footprint and Robin Birkel for her photography advice—to each provide content that complemented the other's work.
"[Audrey] uniquely has her finger on the pulse of tens of thousands of moms. So when we quote her in a press release…people listen to her and they find that credible," Gardner says. "With Robin, we much more leverage her as a resource on photography and how moms and parents can use their cameras to get better photos of their families and do more with them…. They both help our brand and give us credibility, but they work in parallel and serve different purposes."
Gardner says McClelland's Facebook page and blog posts were top-15 traffic drivers for Woven and that its traffic increased more than 20%, making the approach more efficient than search or referrals. Gardner says the social evolution allows marketers to get to know influencers on a more personal level and determine whether they'd be a perfect match for their brand.
"Social media…has allowed us to be more sophisticated in identifying influencers who would be suitable to work with," he says.


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While Big Food rams its Tater Tots and frozen pizza school lunch agenda through Congress, we're learning more about the effects of diets high in starchy foods and low in green vegetables. And it's not pretty.
I pointed yesterday to a vast recent Harvard study finding that heavy consumption of potatoes—even in nonfried forms—leads to unhealthy weight gain.
Now, from UK scientists, comes a study (press release here; abstract here) suggesting that green vegetables may have even more dietary importance than we previously thought. (Hat tip Atlantic Life.) The researchers subjected mice to a diet stripped of vegetables and found that after just three weeks, the mice lost 70 to 80 percent of a kind of white blood cell called intraepithelial lymphocytes, which, the press release states, "play a critical role in monitoring the large number of micro-organisms present in the intestine, keeping infections at bay and maintaining a healthy gut."
The researchers posit that a substance known as indole-3-carbinol, prominent in leafy greens, is responsible for maintaining these white blood cells. Take it out of the diet, apparently, and the cells die. Here's a graphical depiction of their findings:
One of the researchers, Marc Veldhoen, remarked that, "since the new diet contained all other known essential ingredients such as minerals and vitamins," the results surprised him.
But I'm not surprised at all. Foodstuffs are complex; they are not the sum of their vitamins and minerals, calories and fiber, fat and protein, or any other isolated substance currently being fetishized or demonized by the food industry. As this study shows, you can't calculate the level of vitamins and minerals found in leafy greens, synthesize them, combine them in a vitamin pill, and then happily dispense with leafy greens. Whole foods interact with our bodies in ways we are only beginning to understand.
I predict someone will be inspired by this study to isolate indole-3-carbinol, synthesize it for a mass-produced pill, and market it as an immune-enhancing wonder supplement. If it happens, I'm willing to bet that that researchers will find that indole-3-carbinol supplements don't do the work of leafy greens, either. Recall that when scientists discovered the benefits of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, the supplement industry rushed out with all manner of antioxidant potions—which proved to be worthless. It turns out that isolated beta-carotene added to a pill or a can of soda doesn't offer the same benefits as beta-carotene in the context of a carrot. Unfortunately, a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that more than two-thirds of US adults fail to meet the recommended daily intake of at least five fruits and vegetables per day.
"Eat real veggies" is something we could be teaching kids in school cafeterias. Instead, we're going to keep teaching them to scarf down stuff like "potato smiles."


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Below is my question that was closed. I feel this is a valid question for SO. This seems to be happening too frequently to questions that shouldn't be closed.
Where did the estimation rule of thumb originate that time spent will be one-third in each of the following: design, implementation, and testing? [closed] I commonly hear that one-third of a projects time will be spent in design, one-third in implementation, and one-third in testing. The three phases of development seems to be derived from the waterfall model. But, where did the time division originate (1/3, 1/3, 1/3)? Is there a paper or book that this is from?


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Spokane's Barili Cellars
For month's I've been dying to try Barili Cellars. Everyone I've talked to for the last six months raves about them…but they are sold out. I drive by…they're closed. Their first release…gone in just a few short months. The anticipation has been building to try the wine, the myth the legend that is Barili Cellars.
Barili Cellars was born because of a scheduling conflict. For several years, Russ Feist and Steve Trabun had been independent home wine makers. They honed their craft in small barrel productions of beautiful Columbia Valley fruit. In the fall of 2005, Russ' schedule kept him from being able to pick up grapes from his source in Prosser. Steve, who sourced grapes from the same place, agreed to take Russ' grapes to him. In addition to the grape connection, Steve and Russ work for the same Northwest company. The Barili relationship began.
In 2007 Steve and Russ began the steps to open Barili Cellars by sourcing grapes that would become their first release. Steve's wife, Dana completed WSU's Enology program in 2009. She, along with Russ' wife Marlene, help in every step of the process. Bonding was secured for production facility but that space couldn't be used as a retail location. After connecting with local businessman Steve Salvatori they moved into an entrepreneur center that acts as an incubator for start ups. Mr. Salvatori helped transform the space into an awesome tasting room AND winery production facility. In the Spring of 2009 Barili opened and their production of 150 cases nearly instantly sold out.
Having fully moved production to their downtown space, Steve and Russ have ramped production up to 350+ cases for 2010 with the Barreling Red Blend (1/3 each of Merlot, Cab and Syrah), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Viognier. The red wines spend 16 months in American / Hungarian oak and the Chardonnay spent just 30 days in barrel during fermentation. All of their wine is 100% self-distributed. If 2009 is any indication, you won't want to delay if you want to drink some Barili Cellars wine.
Currently, Barili is sourcing grapes from vineyards in Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills and Prosser. When talking about the future, Steve and Russ are excited to continue refining their process and will most likely increase production to about 500 cases. They're looking to lock down their grape sources, move to tighter grained oak, and continue to make great fruit forward wine that people love.
Barili is open on special event weekends like Spring Barrel Tasting, Holiday Wine Festival and First Friday's from 5-8pm.
608 W 2nd Ave
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
After waiting six long months, I finally got to try all of their new releases including this Cab Sauv. One word of advice to you…hurry. Two words to Steve and Russ…make more.
- The Stuff: 50% Cabernet from Dineen Vineyards and 50% Cabernet from Seth Ryan Vineyards; 90 cases, 14%abv
- The Swirl: Good bright color reminiscent of a plum but with about 30% translucence. The color dissipates towards the edges
- The Sniff: Immediately struck by good structured raspberry and pepper aroma with a nice subtle hint of oak
- The Sip: The wine comes alive as it crosses your palate. There is a good structure of fruit, black berry and cherry, that then morphs to smooth cocoa. The finish has medium, well balanced acidity and a great pepper spice that lingers for quite some time. The wine still feels a little young and could cellar for another 5-7 years but is still approachable today.
- The Score: At $22 (their most expensive offering), I can easily score this wine a 3+ (out of 5). If they ever have it on sale pick up more than one. This is one wine that won't disappoint for an elegant steak dinners or the everyday BBQ.
3 comments on "Spokane's Barili Cellars"
William Maltese Having been a writer all of my life, I still know the truth to that old adage about a picture being worth a thousand words. And Josh's "motion pictures", like this video about Barili Cellars, continue to be worth even more than a mere thousand. They're always fun to watch, quite aside from being chockablock with just the kind of useful information that's invaluable to someone, like me, who is not only interested in local wines from the standpoint of a writer out to explore the hows, the by whoms, the whys, and the wheres, but just as a wine lover, too, who is simply out to find some really good Washington State product. Bravo, Josh, on another entertaining and informative film-project well-done!
Pingback: Spokane Wine Tasting Tour | Drink Nectar


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Estimates indicate Windows XP is still running on 160 – 250 million machines, around 14% of the world market share (6 % in the USA).
The reasons for running Windows XP are vast but most companies have hung on to Windows XP due to:
- Application incompatibility with later versions of Windows.
- The time involved in migrating thousands of XP machines.
- The shear cost of such a migration.
- Having to train employees and support staff on later versions of Windows.
Application compatibility is the one I witness most often. There is a large amount of custom enterprise software that will only run on Windows XP. Most software of this nature does not play well in Windows XP mode on Windows 7 and XP mode is not supported in later versions of Windows. Windows XP mode is basically a virtual machine running Windows XP inside another version of Windows. This can be accomplished on any version of Windows with any virtualization software. If a machine is currently running Windows XP its a waste of effort for System Administrator to setup a new PC with Windows 8 or 10 and then setup a virtual machine running Windows XP.
Most companies that fall into incompatibility area are utilities and other industrial companies. 75% of water utilities still have to run Windows XP.
Many manufacturing companies simply cannot afford the downtime of $100,000 to $1 million and hour. These companies need a Windows XP machine to run their production machines and their general view is that not being connected to an outside network, the security risk is minimal.
Kiosks and ATM machines make up another large portion of systems that run software that will only work on Windows XP machines. 95% of ATM machines run Windows XP and I would say that's a fair estimate for kiosks as well
Even the United State's Navy pays Microsoft $9 million (with a contract ceiling of $31 million) to continue to support Windows XP. The Navy is not the only branch of the armed forces or the United States Government to continue running Windows XP
Companies running Windows XP shouldn't be a shock to any System Administrator, there are plenty of Government and financial institutions still running Windows 2000 and earlier Operating Systems. Windows 2003 Server is past it's end and still commands 50% of Windows Servers in production.
At 14 years old, Windows XP continues to go strong. It is only #2, behind Windows 7 in world wide operating systems. Though unsupported and a huge security risk, I can see Windows XP living on for the next five to ten years.


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The following obituaries were received for Wednesday –
Herschel Kern – Mitchell
Herschel Kern, 81, of Mitchell, passed away at 10:05 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, 2013, at Core Nursing and Rehab.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Haverly Funeral Chapel & Cremation.
Herbert Gregory Griffin – Bedford
Herbert Gregory Griffin, 75, of Bedford passed from our world the morning of Friday March 8, 2013 at his prize possession, his lovely home.
He had designed and built his home from the ground up. Herb was born on October 5, 1937 in Wilmington, California. He attended North Hollywood High School and Junior College before serving in the US Army. He played football throughout high school and for the Army and professionally in California and Canada. At one time during the granny fluff era he was a cosmetologist. He then studied nuclear medicine having a career which led to Rocket dyne/ Boeing in California, x-raying fuel lines for the space shuttles. At his retirement he had worked several years as manager of Space Shuttle Assembly as chief inspector. After retirement he and his wife Wanda Vanest Griffin moved to Indiana, she preceded him in death as well as his mother and father and an infant son. Herb was a member of American Legion Post #33 in Bedford and the Bedford Boat & Sportsman Club. Herb and Sherry (Stigall) Stewart Griffin were married on August 7, 2005.
Herbie as many called him leaves behind his loving wife Sherry Griffin, of Bedford, 3 sons, Scott Griffin and wife Michelle, of Puyallup, Wa.; Greg Griffin, of Tacoma, Wa., Shawn Griffin, of Bonney Lake, Wa.; as well as their mother Ruth Griffin, of Bonney Lake, Wa., 4 step-sons, Mike Piatt, of Los Angeles, Ca., Anthony Smith-Lewis, of San Diego, Ca., Clay Smith, of Mitchell, Jeff Lewis and wife Stacey, of Shelbyville, four brother-in-laws; four sisters-in-laws, many grandchildren; nieces; nephews and many, many wonderful friends.
Celebration of Herb's Life will be held on Saturday March 16, 2013 at 3:30 pm at Cresthaven Funeral Home, in Bedford, Friends may call from 1 pm until service time at 3:30 pm at the funeral home, and American Legion Post #33 will conduct military rites.
Bernice C. Siebert – Bloomington
Bernice C. Siebert age 89 of Bloomington, passed away at 12:50 am on March 11, 2013 at IU Health Hospice House in Bloomington.
She was born on November 22, 1923 in Hurley, Wisconsin to Anthony and Caroline (Wolowinski) Syznack. Bernice attended Hurley High School in Hurley, Wisconsin. She married Norman R. Siebert on February 11, 1949 in Kendall County, Illinois and he preceded her in death. Bernice was a homemaker
Survivors include, two daughters, Marily Williams and husband Jack, of North Carolina and Karen Siebert, of Bloomington; one son, Jeffery Siebert and wife Sally, of Elgin, Illinois, one grandson; Joel Garrett, of Bloomington.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one brother and one sister.
There will be no service, cremation was chosen. Burial will be at a later date in Hurley, Wisconsin.
Cresthaven Funeral Home in Bedford is in charge of arrangements
James R. Langley – Bedford
James R. Langley, 86, of Bedford, passed away on March 10, 2013 at 3:55 Am at Stonebridge Health Campus in Bedford.
He was born on September 9, 1926 in Prescott, Arkansas to Albert Caroll & Quin Zora (Moore) Langley, he married Marilyn L. Hibbs on March 29, 1948 in Hot Springs, Arkansas and she survives. James was a devoted family man and father, avid golfer and good friend. James was an US Army Veteran of WWII served in the Pacific Theater & Japan. He retired in 1991 from GM Powertrain in Bedford after 36 years of service, and he worked in quality control as a Receiving Checker.
Survivors include his wife, Marilyn L. Langley, of Bedford, 4 children; Durenda J. Walker, of Holland, Michigan, Pamela L. Beretta and husband Ned, of Mitchell, James R. Langley, of Bloomington and K. Paige Broderick and husband Dan, of Indianapolis; 9 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren
James was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers; one sister
Memorial Service will be held on Friday March 15, 2013 at 4 pm at Cresthaven Funeral Home
Friends may call on Friday at Cresthaven Funeral Home from 3 pm until service time at 4 pm with Dr. Kay Collins officiating. Military rites will be conducted by American Legion Post #33 Bedford.
In Lieu of Flowers donations may be made to Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence County.
Reva Jane (Cannedy) Kern – Bedford
Reva Jane (Cannedy) Kern, 88, of Bedford, passed away at 12:30 am on Monday, March 11, 2013 at Garden Villa.
Born July 12, 1924, in Lawrence Co., she was the daughter of Fred Witt and Dora Anna (Brown) Cannedy. She married Wayne Kern on September 21, 1940, and he survives. She had served two terms as the Clerk Treasurer for Lawrence County (1972-1980) and was the director of volunteer services at Dunn Memorial Hospital. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where she had been a Sunday school teacher.
Survivors include her husband, Wayne, of Bedford; three daughters, Donna Lou Tlustek and husband Hein, of Bedford, Diana Lyn Armstrong and husband Larry, of Lebanon, and Cathy Ann Hackney and husband, Ken of Bedford; nine grandchildren, Kaya Pace and husband Bob, Ilana Tlustek , Hein Tlustek and wife Stephanie, Marthea Jackson and husband Jeff, Alida Bingham and husband Aaron, Terry Tlustek and wife Bethany, Tammy Bailey and husband, Tracy, Kristi Matlock and husband, Dustin, JoAnna Cobb and husband Ed; 27 great grandchildren; two step-great grandchildren; one nephew, Ralph Cannedy, Jr. and wife Mary Jo; six grand nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Ralph, Raymond and Roger Cannedy; a son-in-law, Ron Smith and a great granddaughter, Anna Tlustek.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1pm on Friday, March 15th in the Elmwood Chapel of the Day & Carter Mortuary with Bishop Hein K. Tlustek officiating. Burial will follow in the Green Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 pm to 8 pm on Thursday, March 14th and from noon until the hour of service on Friday, March 15th at the Day & Carter Mortuary.
Family and friends are invited to sign the guest book and light a candle in memory of Reva at www.daycarter.com.


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Tel. +30 22710 76345
email: email@example.com
Medieval Castle Suites is a Hotel complex that combines all modern facilities with the experience of living in a 14th Century village.
Our interactive map will show the places you can visit while in the island of Chios.
Medieval Castle Suites will organize excursions around Chios or short trips outside Chios.
It is a tradition for Mesta and all of the Chios Island.
The festival takes place on 18th of March 2013, at the town square.
Every year is different for us here in Chios. This is one of the most spectacular traditions in all of Greece, especially during Easter.


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Here's how to get 25% off the entire McDonald's menu - from quarter pounders to a McFlurry
McDonald's customers can get 25 percent off their entire meal on Monday 10 May when they order through the fast food chain's app.
The mouth-watering deal is only available for 24 hours and is exclusive to orders made through the My McDonald's App.
Hungry diners can order a Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal, grab a sharebox of Chicken McNuggets, or even a McFlurry to surprise the kids with after school.
With 25% off all McDonald's menu items, you can treat yourself and your loved ones to your favourite menu items, for less.
The McDonald's Monday deal is available exclusively on the My McDonald's App.
Simply download the app to treat yourself to the latest deals keep your eyes out for more amazing McDonald's offers announced on the app each week.
McDonald's has reopened for outdoor dining for up to six customers at restaurants that have available outdoor seating – exclusively for those ordering via the My McDonald's App.
McDonald's restaurants are still open for walk-in takeaway and customers can still order via the Drive-thru, McDelivery and Click & Serve using the My McDonald's App.
McDonald's breakfast is available from 6am-11am and the lunchtime menu is available from 11am daily.


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Federico Fellini
Date Of Birth:
20 January 1920
Date Of Death:
31 October 1993
Place Of Birth:
Rimini, Italy
Best Known As:
The Italian director of La Dolce Vita and 8 1/2
Between the 1950s and the 1970s Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini made his reputation as one of the 20th century's most influential movie directors, and his relationship with Hollywood -- he won the Oscar for best foreign film four times -- advanced the American appetite for international films. He began his career in post-World War II Rome, moving from cartoonist and journalist to screenwriter and assistant director in the mid-1940s. His successful collaborations with Roberto Rossellini (including 1945's Open City) advanced him in the film business, and by the early 1950s he was writing and directing his own movies. During his first decade as a director he won Oscars for La Strada (1954), Le Notti di Cabiria (1957) and 8 1/2 (1963). He won a fourth for Amarcord (1974), and in 1992 Fellini was given a special Oscar for lifetime achievement. Like Orson Welles, Fellini loved to play the Great Film Director, both on screen and off. His individualistic films were often plotless flights of fancy, populated by bizarre, circus-like troupes and exotic women. Many of his films starred his wife, Giulietta Masina (they married in 1943), and Fellini himself would pop up on screen every now and then, part of his semi-autobiographical approach to filmmaking. Undeniably influential, he's also the kind of enigmatic filmmaker whose supporters call him a misunderstood genius, while his detractors call him a shallow poseur. His other films include I Vitelloni (1953), La Dolce Vita (1960), Juliet of the Spirits (1965) and Fellini Satyricon (1969).
Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.
See also:


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Want to put 100 horses into your golf cart and then take it to the Dragstrip? Why not? [Mac McAlpine] did just that by dropping a 2007 GSXR 600 EFI into a 1987 gas-powered Yamaha golf cart. After the break you can see a video of the test run, as well as an overview of the modifications made when swapping engines. [Mac] mentions that the setup still uses the stock bike chain and jackshift even with the upgrade in power. He has, however, upgraded both the front and rear axles with caliper and drum brakes respectively. There's also a NASCAR Car of Tomorrow wing on the roof to help keep the wheels on the pavement.
Good thing he's wearing that helmet. Without a seatbelt it'll make smashing through the windshield a little more comfortable. Drive carefully [Mac]!


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The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has released an updated version of its Farmers' Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program.
The Guide is intended to help family farmers, ranchers, and foresters understand the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) enrollment process. In addition, it provides clear information on conservation activities eligible for CSP payments to improve conservation performance and environmental benefits.
The CSP is a whole farm and comprehensive working lands conservation program administered by USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Its primary focus is management practices. The philosophy of the program is captured by the subtitle of the Farmers' Guide – Rewarding farmers for how the grow what they grow.
The revised Guide includes step-by-step enrollment guidance, key definitions, and helpful hints. It also includes a new five-page section with data analysis of the program's first two sign-up periods in 2009 and 2010. This data section includes analysis of program participation by geographic region, land use type, commodity type, and the top conservation practices and enhancements chosen by farmers and ranchers who have enrolled in the program.
CSP targets priority resource issues in specific states and watersheds, paying farmers for the adoption of new conservation enhancements and the active management of ongoing conservation activities to help solve the resource concerns.
CSP payments are directly calibrated to environmental benefits derived from particular practices. All CSP participants must already exceed stewardship standards for at least one priority resource concern and agree to exceed standards for additional concerns through the adoption of advanced conservation management measures.
The leading resource concerns currently addressed by the program are water quality, wildlife habitat, soil quality, and erosion. In some areas of the country water conservation and air quality are also priority considerations.
In just three years of operation, the program has enrolled nearly 30,000 farmers and ranchers operating over 37.5 million acres of farm and ranch land that is now under five-year, renewable CSP conservation contracts. CSP enrollment acreage since passage of the 2008 Farm Bill is roughly equal in size to the entire state of Georgia or Iowa or Michigan.
To date, CSP "green" payments are averaging $170 million per year per sign-up, or approximately $850 million for each annual enrollment class over the course of the five-year CSP contract. Individual farmer contracts are capped at $40,000 per year, with the average-sized contract currently running between $15,000 and $20,000 per year.
CSP is popular with producers, with twice as many applicants as there is funding competing for enrollment. Enrollment is based on environmental benefit scores as determined by the Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT). The CMT is explained in detail in the Guide.
CSP is a continuous sign-up program, meaning producers can apply to enroll at any time of the year. However, there is generally one cut-off date at which point NRCS will rank all proposals on hand, based on environmental benefits, and determine which will be awarded contracts for that year. Though NRCS has not announced anything yet, in all likelihood the 2012 cut-off date for ranking and awards will be early in the 2012 calendar year.
The Farmers' Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program is available for download on our website on our publications page at www.sustainableagriculture.net/publications.
Printed copies of the Guide can also be purchased. To inquire about ordering printed copies, email NSAC firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Herbalife defends its honor as Ackman presses case
Herbalife Ltd executives defended their business on Thursday as a "legitimate company" with customers outside the network of people who sign up to sell its nutrition products, stepping up the defense against pyramid scheme accusations by short seller Bill Ackman.
The hedge fund operator, who has placed a huge bet that Herbalife stock will fall, has argued that the company is an unsustainable scheme because distributors earn more than 10 times as much from recruitment as they do by selling company products.
Ackman's Pershing Square, which has spent months researching the company, has also promised to fire off more specifics. For his $11 billion fund, the $1 billion short position is a key holding.
Herbalife has quickly transformed from a somewhat obscure purveyor of weight-loss products into a battleground for the biggest names in the hedge fund industry. Third Point's Dan Loeb has taken the other side of Ackman's trade, calling his thesis "preposterous" and predicting a sharp rise in the stock.
Loeb reached out to Herbalife through a third party and met with Chief Executive Michael Johnson one time within the past few weeks, Herbalife President Des Walsh said in an interview. He did not provide details of the meeting.
The feud brings to a head rumblings that started in May, when star hedge fund manager David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital asked questions about corporate disclosure on a conference call, putting the shares under severe pressure. (Einhorn has declined to say whether he took a position in the stock).
At a meeting with investors and analysts in New York, Herbalife executives said 31 percent of its U.S. orders in 2012 were shipped to customers who were not Herbalife distributors, and an outside researcher hired by the company said 92 percent of Herbalife's customer base was not part of the company's distributor base.
Herbalife operates on a multilevel marketing structure, where distributors not only make money for their own sales, but also for sales by people they recruit to become distributors themselves. Chief Financial Officer John DiSimone said Thursday that all payments to distributors are based on sales, not rewards for recruiting.
Also, in 32 years as a company, only one court, in Belgium, has found that Herbalife is a pyramid scheme, and Herbalife planned to appeal that ruling, Herbalife President Des Walsh said at the investor meeting.
Herbalife shares were down about 4 percent at $38.41 on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange after rising as high as $42.99 during the day.
Ackman, who oversees some $11 billion in assets at Pershing Square Capital Management, said December 19 he was betting against Herbalife. A day later, he delivered a three-hour presentation, using more than 300 Powerpoint slides to back his position.
During the presentation, Herbalife management disputed many of Ackman's assertions and also repeated that they would have answered his questions about the company if he had contacted them before his presentation.
Ninety-two percent of the growth at Herbalife comes from markets the company entered more than 10 years ago, Walsh said, trying to counter allegations that there is a "pop-and-drop" factor with sales jumping when the company gets into a market and then falling off.
He also said that there are no minimum purchases required by distributors, denouncing so-called "pay to play" allegations.
Walsh said that as far as the company is concerned, it has dealt with the substance of Ackman's argument. The company, which has hired the law firm of Boies, Schiller & Flexner in the matter, has not yet decided if it will pursue legal action against Ackman.
"We are reviewing all our options," he said.
Yet just minutes after the company's presentation ended, Ackman's hedge fund claimed Herbalife did not answer Pershing Square's points as it said it would.
"The company distorted, mischaracterized, and outright ignored large portions of our presentation," Ackman said in a statement.
One analyst who was at the presentation said that Herbalife did not present much new information, but did respond well to Ackman's attack.
"I think they did a good job of helping people understand what a pyramid scheme is and why it is not one," D.A. Davidson analyst Timothy Ramey said. He has a "buy" rating on the stock.
Having two hedge funds, even big and prominent ones like Pershing Square and Third Point, on the opposite side of a trade is not unusual. Greenlight's Einhorn once found himself on opposite sides of a trade with investor Bruce Berkowitz when Einhorn called land developer St. Joe's overvalued and began shorting it, while Berkowitz had a long position and tried to shake up management to improve performance.
But what makes this showdown unique is the one-on-one quality of the battle pitting two of the industry's biggest stars against one another.
The battle lines are being drawn, with each man commanding a loyal following of investors and a brash self-confidence to take on some of the financial world's most sacred cows.
"This will be a battle of firepower," said David Tawil, who runs hedge fund Maglan Capital.
Amid all the interest on both sides, SunGard's Astec Analytics said Thursday that the cost of borrowing Herbalife shares to sell short rose two percentage points just in the last day, a substantial move.
Herbalife shares closed at $42.84 on December 18, the day before Ackman disclosed that he had shorted the stock.
The shares fell as low as $26.06 in subsequent days, but have recovered most of their losses as investors questioned whether the Federal Trade Commission would take any action against Herbalife, as Ackman wanted.
Separately, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement division has opened an investigation into Herbalife, a source familiar with the matter said.
(Additional reporting by Sam Forgione and Adam Kerlin in New York, Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston, Aruna Viswanatha in Washington and Siddharth Cavale in Bangalore; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Bernard Orr)


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Karl Lagerfeld Calls Adele 'Too Fat,' Noel Gallagher Says Her Success Won't Last
Harsh words for Adele from former Oasis singer Noel Gallagher and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld: Gallagher says she's a flash in the pan, while Lagerfeld bluntly says she's "too fat."
The outspoken Oasis frontman's comments came as part of a larger diatribe in which he argued that women just can't stick around in this business. "I feel sorry for girls in the music industry. They do have a very short shelf life," he claimed. "For instance, Duffy: who? Gone. She was massive. And I don't doubt for a second that the same thing will happen to Adele."
Gallagher has a point about Duffy, the Welsh singer who won a Grammy in 2009 but flopped with her sophomore album. But his suggestion that women can't last in the music industry? We probably don't even need to start naming names to disprove that one. With Adele's massive voice and massive fan base, it's hard to imagine that she won't be a huge star for years to come.
Lagerfeld mentioned Adele in an interview when he was asked about Lana Del Rey. "I prefer Adele and Florence Welch," he replied. "The thing at the moment is Adele. She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice."
Of course, the 78-year-old Lagerfeld comes from a strange world where anyone larger than a size 2 is considered to be carrying too much weight. And Gallagher hasn't been the poster child for consistency, at least in this country — Oasis hasn't scored a U.S. hit since 1998. We're guessing Adele won't be losing much sleep over this new round of insults.


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Some conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are more of a health risk than others. The list changes from year to year, so stay current by visiting the Environmental Working Group's website, www.foodnews.org.
Conventionally grown produce high in pesticide residue
Peaches, apples, strawberries, nectarines, pears, cherries, red raspberries, imported grapes
Spinach, bell peppers, celery, potatoes, hot peppers
Conventionally grown produce with low pesticide residue
Pineapple, plantains, mangoes, bananas, watermelon, plums, kiwi, blueberries, papaya, grapefruit
Avocado, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, asparagus, radishes, broccoli, onions, okra, cabbage, eggplant
Source: Environmental Working Group.


text: Raised Wood Floor Case Studies As homebuyers rediscover the classic style, comfort and practicality of raised wood floor houses, there is a growing opportunity for home builders to combine traditional architecture with progressive building techniques to create more durable, attractive and faster-selling homes. Visually, a raised wood floor offers historic charm, and—built with the latest advances in wood products and technology—it is a proven building method for most any location and soil condition, especially for high wind and flood-prone areas. With the know-how to properly construct a raised wood floor system, well-informed builders can build homes faster and more cost effectively, all while establishing a reputation for quality and craftsmanship that distinguishes them from the competition. The following case studies, featured in Raised Wood Floors: Case Studies in Progressive Home Construction, Form K110, showcase builders and designers and their best practices for building raised wood floor homes. "A raised wood floor is the savvy way for builders to address design issues such as sloping lots, floodplain concerns, problematic soils and traditional aesthetics," said Bob Clark, APA Raised Floor Project Manager. "This diverse compilation shows how other builders and designers are experiencing success with raised wood floors." Case studies: Collier Construction built a traditional neighborhood development in Mississippi that incorporates new and efficient building products while maintaining the character and historical feel of traditional homes. Cooper Homes is a high-end home builder in Atlanta whose raised wood floor homes sell quicker and for more money than houses on concrete slabs. Jeffrey Harrington Homes is a custom home builder in Houston that likes the technical advantages offered by raised wood floor systems, such as the ability to easily level or repair a shifting foundation. See the raised wood floor high-resolution photo gallery. Note that these practices are presented not as APA or Southern Pine Council (SPC) recommendations, but as innovative examples of how contemporary raised wood floor houses are designed and built.


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Google's new Nexus Q may be the last stereo appliance you buy for your home entertainment system. It streams music from your Android phone to your speakers and video to your television, supports built-in streaming from YouTube or your Google account and any music you may have stored at Google Music, and can even let your friends in on the action by connecting to their devices and streaming their music and movies to your entertainment system.
The Nexus Q connects to your speakers and your television via HDMI (or Micro HDMI), and to your speakers through standard banana jack connectors (or Optical audio), and connects to your home network via Wi-Fi or 10/100 Ethernet. Once it's all hooked up and connected, you can use your Android device as a remote control to stream media on your Android device or stored in the cloud to your entertainment center.
If you're thinking this sounds a lot like a set-top box, you're close. The Nexus Q is less of a set-top box and more a bridge between your Android phone or tablet (or both) and your home entertainment system. The wireless streaming features are a bit like Apple's Airplay. You even control the volume and playback of your media from your Android device.
If you're eager to get your hands on the little black sphere, the Nexus Q will set you back $299, ships in mid-July, and is available for pre-order now.
Nexus Q | Google Play